Kingdom Hearts: the Lost Masters
by EliseArainai
Summary: Many years have passed since Keyblade Masters Sora and Kairi have hung up their blades to start a family. Now it's their son Sho's turn to wield the coveted weapon. When the Islands are destroyed once again and the Masters go MIA, Sho must team up with Max, PJ, and a mysterious girl named Aisha in order to reunite with his family and save the multiverse from a powerful new enemy.
1. Prologue - Awakening

**Hey guys, how's it goin'? I've got another KH story for you, this time taking place… in the future! Set many years after the Kingdom Hearts games, this story will chronicle the adventures of Sora and Kairi's son Sho as he becomes a Keybearer and travels the multiverse in order to reunite with his missing family and fight against a powerful new enemy. Most of the story will be told from Sho's POV, and I hope you enjoy it! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

_I was five years old when I held a Keyblade for the first time._

_I had been watching the sunset with my father, Sora. Before my sister and I were born, he and Mom protected the multiverse from darkness as Keyblade Masters, but they retired in order to raise a family. Dad would tell us tales of his adventures, and I was always fascinated by the idea that there were many worlds other than Destiny Islands._

_Anyway, out of the blue, my dad said to me, "Sho, you have a good heart."_

"_Eh? What do you mean, Daddy?" I asked, confused by this._

"_I mean you have a strong will and are kind to others," he explained. "Tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?"_

_That was an easy answer. "A Keyblade Master, just like you! I'll become strong and fight the Heartless and keep you and Mommy and sis out of danger!" As I spoke, I took a stick and cut through the air like it was a sword, but I ended up falling forward when I put too much energy into a swing._

_Dad chuckled at my response. "Is that so? You certainly have enough energy!" Smiling at me, he then asked, "Well then… would you like to see what it's like? To hold a Keyblade?"_

"_Really?! I can hold one?!" I exclaimed excitedly, jumping up to my feet._

"_Settle down now," he told me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, you can hold it. But only for a moment, okay?" After I nodded, I watched as Dad stood up and held out his hand. _

_His Keyblade, also known as the Kingdom Key, appeared in his hand and he knelt down as he turned the handle toward me. "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."_

_I listened to his words intently before reaching out and taking the Keyblade in my own hands. It was a little heavy, but I was amazed: I was actually holding it! "Wow…"_

"_You see? You can do it," Dad said with a proud smile. "And because you're able to hold on to it, someday you'll get a Keyblade of your own and become strong enough to protect our family."_

"_Promise?" I asked with wide eyes._

"_Promise," he replied, ruffling my dark brown hair before taking the Keyblade back. We then started walking back down the beach together._

_Dad explained to me later that what we had done was the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony, which basically meant that he had chosen me as his successor. I was so excited, and I began learning swordplay from him, training like crazy so I would be ready when the time came._

_It's been 9 years since that day… why I'm dreaming about it now, I don't know._

…

Somehow I was observing the memory from above, and looking back at it filled my heart with nostalgia. But before I knew it, I fell into the ocean below. As I sank deeper into the dark water, I panicked at first until I realized I could actually breathe and was falling at a relatively slow rate.

After what seemed like several minutes, my feet finally touched the ocean floor… or at least, that's what I thought. Suddenly, the floor erupted into white doves who took off in flight, revealing a circular stained glass platform, and the water had disappeared completely.

The image shown in the glass was my father, his eyes closed as he lay along the edge of the platform. Across from him was another man with blonde hair, and between them laid the Kingdom Key. I had never seen the other man before, but from listening to Dad's stories, I guessed that it was his Nobody, Roxas.

"…Where am I?" I muttered to myself.

_So much to do… So little time… _

"Eh? Who said that?" I asked, looking around but not seeing anyone.

_Take your time. Don't be afraid._

Scratching my head in confusion, I then saw a beam of light appear in front of me.

_Now, walk forward. Can you do it?_

Giving the light a curious look, I said, "Sounds easy enough." I approached the beam, which disappeared as soon as I touched it. Then three small columns appeared around me, each one showing a different item: a sword, a shield and a magic staff.

_Power sleeps within you. If you give it form… it will give you strength. Choose well._

Looking at all three items, I instinctively went for the sword, as I've been trained in it for years. As I took the weapon in my hand, the mysterious voice spoke again.

_The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek?_

Having no idea where the voice was coming from, I simply looked out in front of me and replied, "Yes." All of a sudden, the sword vanished!

_Your path is set. Now what will you give up in exchange?_

"Huh? I have to give something up?" I questioned, but I didn't receive an answer. I then looked back and forth between the two remaining items, the staff and the shield. After a short debate, I decided, "Hmm… I can't use magic right now, so I guess I can give up the staff. That's more sis's thing, anyway."

_The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. You give up this power?_

I nodded, and as a result the staff disappeared. Suddenly, the glass underneath me shattered and I was falling through the darkness again.

Thankfully, it wasn't long before another stained glass floor came into view. This time, it showed my mother Kairi sleeping in the same position that my father was in before. A blonde woman in a simple white dress, probably her own Nobody Namine, was across from her, and between them was the flowery Keyblade known as Destiny's Embrace.

Then, to my surprise, the Kingdom Key appeared right in my hand! "What the?!" I exclaimed. "This is Dad's Keyblade. Why am I…?"

But my thoughts were interrupted when small black creatures with glowing yellow eyes started to appear and began moving towards me. I had never seen one before, but there was no mistake. "Heartless…" I whispered.

_There will be times when you must fight. Keep your light burning strong. _

Gripping the pommel of the Keyblade, I took a deep breath and got into a battle stance, just like Dad taught me. Then I rushed forward and slashed at one of the Heartless, destroying it. But then the voice spoke up.

_Behind you!_

Reacting quickly, I spun around and swung my weapon, hitting a Heartless who had tried to sneak up. "*Phew* That was close…" I then proceeded to fight the rest of the creatures, some proving harder to hit than others. Once I got down to the last one, it swiped at me but I was able to block it before cutting into it and it vanished like the others.

I couldn't help but stare at the weapon in my hand. "So this is what it's like, Dad… to wield a Keyblade. It feels so natural… is this really just a dream?"

Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by Heartless! "Man, these guys don't give up!" I commented as I slashed at the first one I saw. At first it seemed to block my attack, but I got it on the second try. Within a minute, I had managed to get rid of all of them, although one of them did manage to scratch my leg. It wasn't serious, but it did sting a fair bit.

Then on the other side of the platform, a set of stairs appeared leading up to another platform. Without hesitating, I raced up the stairs and as I ran, they disappeared behind me.

When I reached the top, I looked out at the stained glass image. This time it showed a man with long silver hair, who I immediately recognized as Riku, my parents' best friend and fellow Keyblade Master. Like the others before him, he lied along the edge and his Keyblade, the Way to the Dawn, laid next to him, but his aqua eyes were open in a sad stare and there was nobody lying across from him. Instead, there were five images showing my parents, my sister Mizuki, me… and in the center was a broken heart. Uncle Riku was always a bit mysterious to me, but I wasn't really sure what to make of it.

In fact, I didn't have much time to think about it at all.

_The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes._

Glancing behind me, I saw my own shadow detach itself from me and grow in size, turning into a huge monster with a heart-shaped hole in its chest. My heart was pounding, and in my nervousness I began to back away.

_But don't be afraid. And don't forget…_

"Don't forget what?!" I cried out as I tried to run away, skidding to a stop when I reached the edge of the platform. I was trapped.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, I finally turned to face the shadowy monster, readied the Keyblade, and ran forward. It slammed its fist on the floor and I leapt out of the way, but then a swirl of dark energy appeared at the point of impact and a few Heartless appeared. Rushing, I took out a couple of the smaller creatures before reaching the fist and slashing at it with all I had.

The monster withdrew its fist and knelt down. Getting rid of the last Heartless, I kept my focus on the monster, hacking and slashing at it until suddenly, the Keyblade disappeared! "What? No!" I exclaimed, watching as the creature stood up again. Frightened, I fell backwards, unsure of what to do.

…_But don't be afraid._

Even as the voice spoke, darkness appeared beneath me and I struggled as I tried to escape.

_You hold the mightiest weapon of all. So don't forget… even in the deepest darkness, there will always be light._

"No…" I whimpered as I reached out in a last-ditch effort to break free, but it was no use. The darkness swallowed me up, and I blacked out.

…

"AAHHH!" My eyes snapped open and I jolted up into a sitting position, breathing heavily. I placed a hand on my heart which was beating like crazy, and I was covered in sweat.

Glancing around, I saw that I was back in my bedroom and the sun shone outside my window. I could hear the waves hitting the beach. Breathing a sigh of relief, I fell back against my pillow. "That was some crazy dream…" I muttered before glancing at my alarm clock. The time was 8:00… and it was a school day!

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" I shouted as I leapt out of bed and dashed out of the room.

I almost ran right into my sister Mizuki, who was already in her high school uniform and ready to go. She's three years older than me with long raven hair and purple eyes. "About time you woke up, I was about to come get you," she commented, folding her arms.

Jogging in place, I said quickly, "Sorry sis! I'm gonna shower and change, just go ahead without me!" And with that, I ran around her to get possibly the fastest shower ever.

Once I had gotten ready, I grabbed my schoolbag and ran downstairs stopping only to greet my parents. "Morning Mom, morning Dad!"

"Sho, did you oversleep again?" Mom asked, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, sorry! No breakfast for me today!" I blurted out as I put on my shoes. "I'm off! I love you! Bye!"

"Have a good day!" I heard Dad tell me, and seconds later I was out the door and racing down the beach, praying that I wouldn't be late for school… again.

**Well, that's the prologue! Let me know what you think, and whether or not I should stay in the first-person POV. If you want to check out profiles for my original characters, as well as any others who will appear later, you can find them on my deviantART page under the same name as my pen name here. I hope you enjoyed it! ^^**


	2. Ch 1 - Just an Ordinary Day

**Hey guys, thank you so much for checking out the prologue! Just a little change going on: I'm changing the POV to the third person, since there are bound to be things happening that Sho is not aware of. (I'm leaving the prologue as it is, though. Too much work to change! XD) Enjoy! ^^**

**P.S. I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Max, P.J. and Roxanne belong to Disney. Vanille and Hope belong to SquareEnix. Only Sho and Mizuki belong to me.**

_Destiny Islands_

Sliding the door to the classroom open as quietly as possible, Sho could hear his teacher already giving the day's announcements. Hoping he wouldn't attract attention, he got down on his hands and knees and started crawling across the back of the room, silently cursing the fact that his seat was by the window on the other side.

Unfortunately, stealthy he was not. "Sho, I can see you back there," the teacher told him in a slightly annoyed tone, as they had been through this before. "Just take your seat."

"Y-Yes ma'am!" the boy blurted out, standing up quickly as the rest of the classroom burst out laughing. His cheeks burning from embarrassment, Sho took his seat near his two friends, Vanille who sat behind him and Hope who sat to his right.

"Overslept again?" Hope asked with an amused smile while Vanille was trying to stifle her giggles.

"Oh hush," Sho grumbled before glancing out the window.

As school went on, he just couldn't get the weird dream out of his head. Instead of taking notes, he was drawing the stained glass platforms from memory in his sketchbook. Sho enjoyed drawing as a hobby and claimed he got it from Kairi, although it was actually Namine who was the artistic one.

By the time lunch period came around, Sho was finishing up the last drawing when a familiar accented voice broke his concentration. "Whatcha drawing?"

He whipped his head around to see Vanille peeking over his shoulder. "Wha-! Vanille, don't startle me like that."

"Sorry, I was just curious!" she pouted. Of the three of them, Vanille was always the most cheerful, and she always wore her curly red hair in pigtails.

"Me too," Hope piped up as he joined them. "It's not every day you're so absorbed in your art." The silver-haired boy often encouraged Sho, and was never seen without the bandana tied around his neck.

"Oh," Sho muttered as he placed his sketchbook on his desk. "Well, actually… I'm drawing something I saw in a dream."

"Really?" Vanille asked, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of dream?"

But before he could say anything, Sho's stomach growled. "Oh yeah, I forgot I skipped breakfast," he groaned, placing a hand on his stomach.

Hope snickered. "Okay, we'll get you something to eat, but then you're telling us everything."

After grabbing some food from the cafeteria, the three friends headed for the roof where Sho described his dream to the other two. "…And then the Keyblade vanished and I was swallowed up by darkness."

"Wow, that sounds really scary!" Vanille commented with a shudder. "No wonder you overslept."

"Yeah… and you know what the weird thing is?" Sho continued, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "As glad as I was that I woke up back here, the whole thing felt so real… I'm starting to wonder if it was really just a dream."

Hope leaned back against the wall. "I don't usually put a lot of stock in dreams, but this could be a sign, like maybe you'll get your Keyblade soon."

"I think so too," Vanille agreed as she looked at Sho's drawings. "I mean, it's been years since you did that inheritance thing, right? It's about time!"

"Add the fact that you dreamed about the ceremony itself, and there's a very real possibility," Hope added.

Sho smiled at the thought. "You know, you might be right. After all, Dad was 14 when he got his Keyblade."

Suddenly, Vanille got a confused look on her face. "Sho? Why is Master Riku's picture different?" She turned the book in the boys' direction so they could see it.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "I know he doesn't have a Nobody and my family is really important to him… but the one thing I can't figure out is that broken heart." For a second, Sho wondered if the broken heart had anything to do with the year Riku had spent in the darkness before finally receiving his Keyblade, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head.

The red-headed girl turned the book back to her. "His eyes look sad, don't they?"

"That's Sho's artistic talent for you," Hope commented. "But anyway, you better tell your dad about this dream, okay? He might have a better idea of what's going on."

Nodding, the brunette replied, "I'll talk to him tonight." The conversation moved on to other topics, but now Sho was pretty excited at the prospect of getting his Keyblade. But now that he thought about it, why was he using his father's blade in the dream rather than a new one? Just another one of many questions he had.

…

_Disney Castle_

Meanwhile, things were going quite well over at Disney Castle… except there seemed to be someone missing. Goofy was hoping to meet up with his 18-year-old son Max for his daily lessons, but the boy was nowhere in sight.

Eventually, the knight's search led him to the Gummi Ship hanger, one of Max's favorite hang-outs. The hanger housed the Gummi Ship Mark II, somewhat larger than the previous incarnation but just as capable, or so claimed Roxanne the mechanic. Then again, if anybody knew their way around the ship, it would be her.

Goofy spotted P.J., Max's best friend, giving Roxanne some assistance. The largely-built P.J. was sporting his usual look, a blue jacket with a purple shirt and blue jeans, while the red-headed mechanic looked as cute as ever in her aqua t-shirt and blue shorts.

"Hey you two, have either of ya seen Max anywhere?" Goofy asked them.

"Uh, nope. Sorry!" P.J. answered a little nervously. In truth, Max was hiding inside the ship and while P.J. hated lying, he had promised his friend that he wouldn't say where he was.

"Huh. Well if ya see him, tell him I'm lookin' for him!" Goofy instructed, oblivious to P.J.'s odd behavior.

"Don't worry, we will!" Roxanne said with an innocent smile.

Suddenly they heard a sneeze come from the ship, and P.J. quickly muttered, "Bless you."

"Pardon?" Goofy replied.

"Oh, I sneezed," Roxanne explained, quickly covering up.

"Oh. Gesundheit," the knight said with a nod of his head before leaving the hanger. "Now where could he have gone off to…?"

Once the coast was clear, P.J. looked inside the ship. "He's gone."

Relieved, Max hopped out of the ship. "Thanks guys. I just couldn't take another boring lesson with Dad."

"Max, it can't be all bad," Roxanne commented. "You enjoy the combat lessons at least, right?"

This made Max pause for a split second. "I guess, maybe if he didn't go easy on me all the time. I'm not a little kid anymore! When's he gonna realize that?"

"At least your dad acknowledges you," P.J. told him. "I don't think mine even noticed when I left." It was common knowledge that P.J. was the son of one of the biggest troublemakers in the multiverse, Pete. Queen Minnie had banished Pete to another dimension long ago, so imagine everyone's surprise when his son showed up at the castle one day! Despite Donald Duck's initial distrust of the boy, King Mickey was kind enough to take P.J. in after deciding that he was nothing like his father. Max quickly befriended him, and the rest was history.

Roxanne placed a hand on Max's shoulder, causing him to blush. "I know being with your dad isn't your idea of a good time, but this is important. If you're going to be a knight of Disney Castle, you're going to have to know more than just how to fight… or how to fly the Gummi Ship. You know that, right?"

Max sighed. "Yeah, I know. Alright, let's get this over with," he said as he pulled his skateboard out of the Gummi Ship and prepared to catch up with his dad.

P.J. couldn't help snickering a bit. Max just couldn't argue with Roxanne, even on matters that involved Goofy. Suddenly he remembered something and asked his friend, "Hey, you joining us for stargazing tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it!" Max said with a smile. He then hopped on his skateboard and rolled right out of the hanger, looking forward to that night. That night would hopefully be when he would confess his feelings for the lovely Roxanne under the starry sky

…

Back on the Islands, school was finally over. Sho had clean-up duty that day, so he was a little later than usual, but luckily Mizuki hadn't moved from in front of the middle school. "Hey, sorry about that!"

"Oh don't worry about it," she replied with a wave of her hand. "Clean-up duty can't really be avoided."

"Not without a medical excuse, anyway," Sho added.

"Hmm, I suppose that's one perk to having asthma," Mizuki commented with a small smile.

Realizing his slip-up, the boy quickly said, "Oh, I didn't mean…"

"Sho, it's okay," Mizuki chuckled. "I've had it all my life, no reason the two of us can't make jokes about it." It was true; Mizuki had been asthmatic since she was a baby. It had gotten a little better over the years, but too much dust or pollen around her would trigger an asthma attack in seconds, which was why she was always excused from clean-up duty at school. Too much strenuous activity was also a trigger, and so if she was doing anything physical she had to pace herself. It was a condition that made her dad overprotective of her, much to her dismay.

The two siblings started walking home together, Mizuki teasing Sho about being late and in return he jokingly asked who her most recent crush was, only to receive no straight answer.

Then Sho gave her the news. "Oh yeah, I meant to say this earlier, but… this morning I dreamt that I was using Dad's Keyblade. Hope and Vanille think that it's a sign that I may get one soon!"

"Really?" the raven-haired girl asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "That's wonderful! Do Mom and Dad know?"

Shaking his head, the younger boy answered, "I didn't get a chance to tell them. I hope it's true, though: I've been waiting for this for years! And then… I'll finally be able to protect you, sis."

Cocking an eyebrow, Mizuki said, "I can use magic, you know. I hardly need protection."

"But you can't push yourself too hard, right?" Sho countered. While Sora had been training him in swordplay, Mizuki was taught how to use magic by Kairi, so Sho certainly had no doubt of his sister's skill. "So how bout this: I'll protect you physically, and you'll protect me with your magic?"

"Deal," the older girl agreed, and the two shook hands on it.

"Ah, such loving siblings," a voice said, and the two turned to see a man with long silver hair approach them. "You just don't see that as much anymore."

Sho grinned at the sight of the man. "Uncle Riku! You're back!" he exclaimed as he and Mizuki rushed over to greet their surrogate uncle. Unlike Sora and Kairi, Master Riku still travelled off-world frequently in order to fight against the forces of darkness, or just to help out or visit other worlds in general.

"How was your trip?" Mizuki asked as the three started walking again.

"Oh, not bad," Riku answered casually. "Arendelle's in the middle of a beautiful summer, I helped clear out a Heartless invasion in New York…"

"Which one?" Sho asked.

"Don't ask me, I've found so many New Yorks, I can't keep track of them," he replied with a shrug which made the kids laugh. "But enough about me; what's this I hear about a dream, Sho?"

"Oh really uncle, how long were you listening?" Mizuki scolded before her younger brother explained his dream to the Keyblade Master. Little did any of them realize that the time when Sho would receive his Keyblade was closer than they thought…

**Author's note: In gameplay, Sho's sketchbook would also act as a journal, much like Jiminy Cricket's journal in the original games. **

**Author's note 2: Several of you may recognize Hope and Vanille from Final Fantasy XIII. As this story takes place after KH3, it seemed appropriate that more recent FF characters were included. **

**Author's note 3: At first I thought of making Max's other friend Bobby the mechanic, but there are three reasons why I didn't. One, I didn't think that I would've been able to portray the character well. Two, (and this is just my opinion) he quite simply drives me nuts. Three, I just plain love Max and Roxanne! ^^**


	3. Ch 2 - Paradise Lost

**Okay, here we go with chapter 2! Things seem pretty peaceful now, but how long will that last? As usual, please read, review and enjoy! ^^**

**P.S. I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Max, P.J. and Roxanne belong to Disney. Only Sho and Mizuki belong to me.**

Riku listened patiently as Sho excitedly explained his dream to him. "… I see. So you've been through your Awakening, then," he said with an approving smile.

"My Awakening?" Sho questioned.

Nodding, the silver-haired man explained, "Your dad went through a similar experience just before he got his Keyblade. Everything you went through wasn't actually a dream; it was real, but it was all in your head, if that makes sense."

"So that's why it felt so real," Sho muttered before asking another question. "Then how come I used Dad's Keyblade?"

"Who knows?" Riku replied with a shrug. "Could be a symbol of your bond, but that's all I can think of."

"Do all Keybearers go through that?" the ever-curious boy inquired.

"Ha ha, well a lot of them do, anyway," Riku chuckled. "In my case, it was more like I had my eyes opened after being in darkness for so long."

"I'm still amazed you can talk about that so easily," Mizuki commented. "You're a Keyblade Master, after all; shouldn't you keep that sort of thing secret?"

Shaking his head, Riku told the older girl, "If there's one thing I've learned kiddo, it's that you realize the mistakes you make and learn from them. I made a mistake, and eventually redeemed myself and grew stronger in the process." That was one thing Sho liked about Riku; he was never afraid to admit when he did something wrong in his past.

That suddenly reminded Sho of his drawing. "Oh yeah, speaking of which…" Pulling out his sketchbook, the boy opened it up to the picture of Riku's stained-glass image. "I saw this in the Awakening… what does that broken heart mean?"

The Keyblade Master's eyes widened for a second before he replied, "I can't really say for sure. But anyway, let's get you two home so you can tell your old man the good news!"

"Sounds good to me," Mizuki said, anxious to change out of her uniform. The fact that Riku seemed to be avoiding Sho's question bugged him, but he let the matter go for the time being.

Once they got home, Sho changed into his usual outfit: a blue tank top, a green vest with a breast pocket on both sides, and khaki cargo pants. Two pairs of small, silver hoop earrings in his ears and his usual gold star necklace completed the ensemble. Mizuki, meanwhile, decided to go with a purple Mandarin-style shirt with short sleeves and tight black pants that stopped just above her ankles.

The two siblings then headed for the living room, where Kairi and Riku were already chatting away. The red-haired woman noticed them and said, "Oh, there you are! So Riku says you had something important to say?"

"Uncle, I wanted to wait until Dad got back!" Sho protested.

"You sound like a little kid, Sho," Mizuki said as she smacked her brother upside the head.

"In my defense, I didn't go into details about it," Riku explained with a smug smile as the teens sat down.

"Crazy old man," Sho grumbled.

"Smart-alec kid," Riku retorted.

"Knock it off, both of you," Kairi scolded, and they quickly shut up. She then smiled at her son. "Don't worry Sho, I think we can wait a little while longer for your father."

"Thanks, Mom," the boy said, and the four of them continued to talk while waiting for Sora.

…

After checking his breath for the third time, Max finally strode onto one of the battlements of Disney Castle. He had removed the light armor he had been wearing earlier in favor of his usual outfit; a red hooded t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. He brought a blanket with him in case Roxanne got cold.

It didn't take him long to spot P.J. and Roxanne, who had already picked out a spot right in the middle of the battlement. "Sorry I'm la-AH!" Max cut himself off when he tripped over an uneven stone on the floor, causing him to roll right up to his friends and somehow get tangled up in the blanket. _Smooth Max, reeeal smooth,_ he thought, wishing that his clumsiness hadn't decided to show itself at that moment.

Giggling, Roxanne helped him get untangled. "Are you okay, Max?"

"I'm fine," Max replied as he stood back up. "Someone really oughta check that stone, though."

"Can't help you there, I haven't learned any stone-adjusting spells yet," P.J. joked, causing the other two to laugh. "Kidding, I'll take care of it later." In spite of his size and strength, for the most part P.J. preferred magic to physical combat.

As the three of them got comfortable, the sun set lower and lower into the sky. Roxanne's eyes lit up and she pointed directly at the first star. "Aha, there's the first star!"

"Alright! You get to make a wish, Rox!" P.J. exclaimed.

Cocking an eyebrow, Max remarked, "C'mon Peej, that's a kid thing."

"So? It's fun," Roxanne retorted as she pressed her hands together and closed her eyes, silently making her wish.

After a few seconds, Max asked, "So what did you wish for?"

Shaking her head, she replied, "Uh-uh, it won't come true if I tell you."

"Oh yeah…" he muttered. Then Max turned to P.J. and asked, "Say, which star is that anyway?"

"Let me check," the larger boy said before apparently realizing something. "Oh, wouldn't you know it! I forgot my star maps. Hang on, I'll be right back!" And with that, P.J. took off.

Max was trying his best not to grin. P.J.'s acting skills could've used some work, but his quick exit was really all part of Max's plan: his friend would pretend to forget something and leave to go get it, leaving Max alone with Roxanne. It was foolproof… although he was a little nervous. The young knight-in-training had known Roxanne for quite some time, but up until now he hadn't been able to express his feelings to her. But that night, he was sure that was going to change.

"Huh, it's not like P.J. to forget something," Roxanne remarked before shivering a bit.

Max took this opportunity to move in. "You cold?"

"A bit. It's chillier than I thought it would be," the redhead said, rubbing her bare arms.

The boy then took the blanket he brought and draped it over Roxanne's shoulders. "That should do it."

"Oh, thank you Max," she said gratefully, pulling the blanket around her.

Roxanne went back to gazing up at the stars while Max took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before saying anything else. "Um, Roxanne?"

"Hmm?"

"I, uh…" Max gulped. He didn't realize how nerve-wracking a confession could be! It seemed so easy in theory, but in practice he was practically sweating. "That is, I er… ah-yuk…!"

Eyes widening, Max quickly clapped a hand over his mouth. That nervous chuckle he had just let out sounded exactly like Goofy! Feeling completely embarrassed, Max made a break for the door at the end of the battlement, leaving behind a confused and slightly disappointed Roxanne.

…

As the others chatted with each other, Sho glanced out the window and noticed dark clouds starting to cover the sky, and the wind was starting to pick up. "Looks like a freak storm," he remarked, moving aside so his mom could look.

Her expression suddenly became serious. "Something seems off about it. Riku?"

"Yeah, I feel it too," the silverette agreed.

"What are you talking about?" Mizuki asked. "It's just a storm, right?"

Before the two adults could answer, the door burst open and Sora dashed in, Keyblade in hand. His expression softened once he saw his family. "Thank goodness, you're all okay!"

"Dad, what's going on?" Sho asked, getting worried.

"It's the Heartless," he answered as calmly as he could. "They're back."

"What?!" Sho and Mizuki both cried out at the same time.

Sora led Riku and Kairi outside, where several Heartless known as Shadows were approaching the house. "They must've followed me here, they weren't in this area before," Sora muttered, silently berating himself for being careless.

Kairi and Riku summoned their own Keyblades and joined their friend in combat while Sho and Mizuki watched from the doorway. They had never actually seen their parents fight the Heartless, as this was the first time in years that the creatures had come to the Islands. Sho was in awe as the three Keyblade Masters cut down Heartless after Heartless without even breaking a sweat.

At one point, there was a break in the action and Sora was able to run back to the kids. "Alright, listen to me. Riku's going to take you and your mother to a safe place, I'll stay and hold off the Heartless."

"Dad, we can help!" Mizuki protested.

"No Mizuki, I can't let you push yourself like that," he said firmly. "Just go with Riku, alright? He'll protect you."

"But…!" she started to protest, clenching her fists in frustration. Mizuki hated being considered weak because of her asthma. She wanted desperately to fight with her magic, but she knew that her dad wouldn't allow it no matter what she said.

"I don't want to leave you behind!" Sho told his father.

Sora placed a hand on his boy's shoulder. "I understand Sho, but I don't want to risk losing the family I love so much. Will you do this for me?" Eyes tearing up, Sho reluctantly nodded.

Suddenly Kairi said, "I'm staying with you, Sora."

"What?" Sora exclaimed.

"You're crazy if you think I'm leaving my husband behind," she said, her hands on her hips. That generally meant that she wasn't taking "no" for an answer.

The brown-haired Master just sighed and shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you?"

"There's more coming!" Riku said as he joined them. "C'mon kids, let's go." Looking back at his lifelong friends, he simply said, "Try not to die on me, okay?"

Sora flashed his trademark grin. "We'll do our best!"

"You be careful, Riku," Kairi said. "And kids… be safe." Giving them one last reassuring smile, the redhead turned to face the oncoming Heartless.

"Now go!" Sora shouted as he joined his wife.

For a moment Sho was torn between helping his parents and going with Riku, but he finally reluctantly ran after his sister and the silver-haired Master. Without a weapon of some kind, he would've been virtually worthless anyway. _Mom… Dad… you're gonna be okay, right?_

As the Heartless closed in on them, Sora glanced at his lovely wife. "Just like old times, huh Kai?"

"Yep, these guys haven't changed a bit," she replied before the two launched into battle.

Further down the beach, Sho, Mizuki and Riku had managed to come to a clear spot by the docks. Riku held up a hand to stop the other two, and he glanced at their surroundings. Sho kept glancing back in the direction of his house. He always knew his parents could handle themselves, but now that there was genuine danger, he couldn't help but worry for their safety.

"Stop that," Mizuki said, lightly smacking her brother's shoulder. "They'll be fine; they are Keyblade Masters, after all. It'll be over soon."

Riku suddenly grimaced when more Shadows started to appear. "You guys don't give up easy, do you? Fine by me." Taking on a battle stance, Riku prepared to launch another attack on the Heartless.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light coming from Sho. "What the?!" the boy shouted as the light became concentrated in his hand before forming… He couldn't believe it; it was a Keyblade!

"Whoa…" Sho couldn't help but marvel at the Keyblade. The guard was a deep, pastel blue color while the handle itself was a deep indigo. The "blade" was a light-blue metal bar with a spike and a star at the end of the bar the same color. A gold rainguard was at the bottom of the bar, and a gold star was attached to the hilt with a silver chain. In his mind, Sho somehow knew its name: Starlight.

"I'd say congratulations, but here they come!" Mizuki said, preparing to cast a spell. "Sho, cover me!"

"Got it!" the younger boy said with a nod. As one of the Heartless approached, Sho rushed forward and slashed at it with his Keyblade, instantly destroying it.

Another one came at him, but Mizuki spotted it and held out a hand. "Fire!" A fireball shot out of her hand and hit the Shadow perfectly. The older girl could've used one of her stronger spells, but considering the circumstances, she wanted to preserve her mana for the time being.

"Nice work, you two! Keep it up!" Riku shouted as he kept up his own assault.

The two siblings kept taking out Heartless with Sho's blade and Mizuki's spells, at the same time keeping each other safe. Then without warning, Mizuki's hand went to her throat and she fell to her knees, unable to breath.

"No, not now!" Sho cried as he rushed over to his sister. "Hang on sis, I gotcha," he said as he pulled a spare inhaler out of his pocket and handed it to her. Riku noticed Mizuki's asthma attack and quickly destroyed any Heartless that tried to harm her or her brother.

Once Mizuki's breathing was under control, she gave a small smile to her brother. "Thanks, Sho."

"Always keep a spare handy, right?" Sho replied with a smile of his own.

After taking out the last Heartless, Riku approached the siblings. "That was way too close," he said before picking up Mizuki in his arms.

"Hey! Uncle, what-?" the raven-haired girl cried in surprise.

"Sorry kiddo, no more fighting for you," the older man told her before turning to Sho. "Let's try to get to the other island. I can't fight like this, so you'll have to pick up the slack. Think you can handle it, kid?"

"You bet! Anything to keep you two safe!" Sho answered before he and Riku took off at a fast pace.

As they ran, the occasional Heartless popped up but Sho was able to dispatch it, keeping both his sister and surrogate uncle out of harm's way.

Soon they spotted Riku's boat. "There! Let's hurry!" the Master ordered, but he and Sho skidded to a stop when the giant Heartless from Sho's Awakening appeared before them. "A Darkside…!"

"I-Is that what that is?" Mizuki asked nervously. Looking up at the sky, she could see a dark vortex forming over the island and the wind became even harsher.

The Darkside aimed its fist at the two Keybearers, who jumped in opposite directions to avoid it. Unfortunately, the impact caused a fissure threatening to separate Sho from the other two. "Sis! Uncle!" he cried, reaching out to try to grab at least one of them.

Thinking quickly, Riku placed Mizuki back on her feet and shouted to both kids, "Gotta go. Good luck!" He suddenly pushed the girl to the other side where she stumbled into Sho's arms. The fissure widened and the edge Riku was standing on crumbled, causing him to fall into nothingness.

"NO! Uncle Riku!" Mizuki cried, looking back in horror.

Sho rushed to the edge, but he saw no trace of the silver-haired Master. "No…" Clenching his fist in anger, the boy whirled around and glared at the Darkside through teary eyes. "You'll pay for that!" Rushing in without thinking, Sho slashed at the Darkside's fist with Starlight over and over again.

"Thundara!" Now able to fight once again, Mizuki took it to the next level and rained several bolts of lightning upon the giant Heartless. It was enough to send the Darkside to its knees. "Sho, finish it!"

Racing up the Darkside's arm, Sho held the Keyblade high before bringing it down on the monster's head, effectively destroying it. The boy landed safely on the ground and the Starlight disappeared from his hand.

Mizuki ran to her brother, but before either of them could say anything, their feet started to lift off the ground. The vortex was pulling Destiny Islands into it, and the siblings were going with them!

Desperate, Sho grabbed onto the nearest dock and held on with on hand while holding Mizuki's hand with the other. "Quick, give me your other hand!"

"I can't, the wind's too strong!" Mizuki cried as their hands started sliding.

"Hurry, I'm slipping!" Sho shouted back, trying to hold on.

Unfortunately, his grip slipped and Mizuki was pulled screaming into the darkness. Seconds later, Sho was torn away from the dock. Once again, Destiny Islands had fallen.

**Author's note: The Keyblade known as Starlight actually comes from a Japan-only RPG called "Kingdom Hearts X". It is the default Keyblade for the player character, and its design is similar enough to the Kingdom Key that it seemed appropriate to use it as Sho's first Keyblade. Thank you, btw, to Daisuke Haoru for giving me the idea! ^^**


	4. Ch 3 - Shocking News

**Hey, what's up? Yeah, sorry I haven't really been focusing on my other stories, but once I get an idea in my head I just gotta write it! Anyway, here's chapter 3 and as usual, please read, review and enjoy! ^^**

**P.S. I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Max, P.J. and Roxanne belong to Disney. Only Sho and (new character, name omitted) belong to me.**

Staring up at the sky and still huddled in the blanket, Roxanne silently wondered what Max had been trying to tell her. He was usually so energetic, although he constantly complained about his dad embarrassing him, but this time the poor boy could barely get a few words out.

Now that she thought of it, that little laugh of his was kinda cute. Maybe next time, she could tell Max that; the thought made her smile a bit.

At that moment, the redhead noticed one particular star glow brighter before suddenly disappearing. "Oh no…" she muttered, alarm bells going off in her head. She knew that some of those stars in the sky were, in truth, other worlds. If one of them suddenly went out, it was highly likely that it was destroyed. Flinging off the blanket, Roxanne stood up and ran off the battlement in search of Max and P.J.

Speaking of whom, Max had rejoined his friend in one of the castle's halls. "What do you mean, you didn't tell her?" P.J. questioned, surprised at his friend's words.

"Dude, don't make me repeat myself," Max groaned, his forehead resting against the wall. "Everything was going so well, and what do I do? I choke!" Sighing, he glanced back at the larger boy. "How am I supposed to face Roxanne now? She probably thinks I'm a total dork."

"Well you better think fast, cuz here she comes!" P.J. said as footsteps came their way.

"What?!" the knight-in-training exclaimed, looking up to see Roxanne running over, her face frantic.

Skidding to a stop, the mechanic took a few seconds to catch her breath. "Guys, we've got trouble! Big trouble!"

Realizing that his friend couldn't look the girl in the eye, P.J. took control. "Calm down, Rox. What's wrong?"

"One of the stars went out," Roxanne reported. "You know what that means, right?"

Upon hearing that, Max snapped out of his self-loathing. "A world was just destroyed…" he muttered.

"We have to tell the king about this!" P.J. said urgently.

"Right," Max said with a nod. "Let's go!" And with that, the three of them took off to look for the king.

A few minutes of searching later, Max rounded a corner before colliding into someone. "Oof!" The two ended up sprawled on the floor, and it took Max a second to realize who the other person was… and the timing couldn't have been worse. "Dad?!"

"Maxie!" Goofy exclaimed, realizing it was his own son who ran into him. "You know you're not supposed to run in the halls."

The boy had to force himself not to roll his eyes as he stood up. "No time to explain Dad, but we have to find the king. Do you know where he is?"

"I think he's in the library," Goofy answered, and Max and the others quickly took off.

"Thanks!" P.J. called back as they ran.

Soon they reached the library, where King Mickey was reading at his desk. The mouse king nearly jumped when the door burst open. "Your Majesty, something's happened!" Max shouted.

"Boys? Roxanne? What in the world is going on?" Mickey questioned, cocking an eyebrow at the frantic teens.

"We were watching the stars…" Roxanne started the rather frenzied explanation.

"But I forgot my star maps, so I went to get them," P.J. continued.

"Rox and I talked for a while…" Max added before the redhead interrupted.

"But then Max left for some reason."

"He went to look for me!"

"Right, but after I left, Rox saw it…"

"A STAR WENT OUT!" all three blurted out at the same time before finally taking a few breaths.

Mickey's eyes widened at the news. "You're absolutely sure you saw it happen?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Roxanne said, bowing her head.

"Yeah, she would never lie about something like that!" Max emphasized. Behind him, P.J. was slightly panicking at his friend's bold words to the king.

Before Mickey could say anything else, something crashed through the window and landed in-between the desk and the teens, causing Max to fall backwards in surprise.

"What's all the noise in here?" a familiar voice quacked as Donald Duck shoved his way into the room, with Goofy in hot pursuit.

Once everyone had calmed down, they observed the small creature in the center of the room. He stood up shakily on two legs before using his tiny, bat-like wings to hover over the ground. He had white fur, his eyes were narrow, and a red pompom hung from an antenna on his head. Goofy smiled. "Well, how bout that? A Moogle!"

"That's correct! Greetings, kupo!" the creature greeted with a wave. He then turned to face the mouse king. "I have a message for you, Your Majesty."

Taking another look, King Mickey noticed that the Moogle was wearing a necklace with the crest of the Heartless hanging from it. It was then that he recognized this particular Moogle. "You're Mog, aren't you? You deliver messages for Master Riku."

"No way…!" Max breathed. He had heard stories about the Keyblade Masters all his life, and had even had the pleasure of meeting Master Riku a couple of times when he was younger.

"Yep! Here's the message, kupo," Mog said before clearing his throat. "Master Riku recommends the following books for His Majesty: 'Paradise Lost,' 'Treasure Island,' and 'Heart of Darkness.' That is all, kupo!"

The king's expression immediately changed when he heard the message, as if he was in shock.

"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" P.J. inquired, finding the king's behavior a bit odd.

Composing himself, Mickey began to speak. "Everyone, I should explain. Mog is speaking in a code that Master Riku and I agreed to use in emergencies. Using different book titles, we can report certain situations to each other in a way that anybody who isn't familiar with the code wouldn't be able to decipher it, thinking that it's just a list of books."

"Fascinating…" P.J. muttered.

"What?! I never heard about this!" Donald complained, crossing his arms.

"So, what was Mog trying to say?" Goofy questioned.

Closing his eyes and lowering his head, the mouse king explained the message. "'Paradise Lost' means that Destiny Islands – home world of Masters Sora, Riku and Kairi – has been destroyed."

A collective gasp spread among those gathered. "How horrible!" Roxanne exclaimed, her hands over her mouth.

Looking at the shocked teens, King Mickey gave them a sad smile. "I'm sorry that I doubted you before, kids. You were telling the truth after all, sad as it is."

"But wait! What about Sora and Kairi?!" Donald asked, immediately worried about his old friends.

"And their kids?!" Goofy added. While he had never met them, Sora had sent Goofy countless letters about his two children, Sho and Mizuki.

"I'm getting to that," the king said. "The second book, 'Treasure Island,' refers to something of great importance to Master Riku that was left behind on the Islands. In this case, that can only mean one thing, or rather two people: Masters Sora and Kairi. As of now, they are MIA – 'Missing in Action.' It's likely the same for their children."

"I can't believe this…" Max said, clenching his fists. This was almost too much to take in. "So wait, then 'Heart of Darkness'…?"

"I think I've got it!" P.J. piped up, catching everyone's attention. "It's an ironic title: 'Heart of Darkness' actually refers to beings without hearts, those who are created by darkness. Master Riku is telling us that the Heartless were behind Destiny Islands' destruction!" Realizing he spoke out of turn, the boy gave a sheepish look to King Mickey. "Oops. Er… sorry, Your Majesty."

Shaking his head, the king replied, "No need to apologize, P.J. Actually, you were spot on!" He then looked at the hovering Moogle. "Thank you, Mog. That'll be all."

"Okay, kupo! Later!" And with that, Mog flew right through the hole he had made in the window and disappeared.

Mickey hopped on top of his desk. "Everyone, this is serious. It seems the Heartless invasion in New York was just the beginning of something bigger. With the Keyblade Masters missing, it will be difficult to fight them."

"Pardon me Your Majesty, but can't you go look for them?" Roxanne asked. "You're a Master too, right?"

"Right, but I won't be leaving this time," Mickey answered. "As much as I would love to know they're alright, my place is here, protecting my home."

"Then we'll go look for them ourselves!" Donald declared, lifting his staff before giving a not-so-subtle nudge to Goofy.

"Wha? Oh right! You can count on us, Your Majesty!" Goofy added with a salute.

Smiling, the mouse said, "I know I can, and that's why you're staying too."

"WHAAA?!" Donald shouted in surprise.

"I'm sorry. I know you and Sora fought together in the past, but I need you here with me in case the Heartless come," Mickey explained.

"But then, who's gonna head the search?" Goofy asked, not taking his son into consideration.

It was then that Max suddenly stepped forward. "I'll go!"

"Maxie, what're ya doin'?" the older knight asked, surprised at the boy's sudden offer. "You're not ready yet!"

"Dad, I'm eighteen," Max said rolling his eyes. "I think I'm more than ready to go off-world and fight the Heartless!"

"Aren't ya forgetting something?" Donald reminded. "You're not a full-fledged knight, so ya can't go!"

An idea seemed to pop into Mickey's head and a smile came across his face. "Not yet, anyway," he said. "Max, please kneel before the desk."

"Huh?" the teen replied, slightly confused.

"Go on," the mouse insisted, and in response Max knelt before his king. Mickey held out his hand and one of his Keyblades, the Star Seeker, appeared in his hand. "This is a little last minute, so we'll have to make do with what we've got. Now…" Gazing down at the young knight-in-training, Mickey addressed him. "Maximilian, do you swear to uphold the duty of the Knights of Disney Castle? Do you swear to protect those in need, whether close to you or a stranger? And do you swear to follow the path of light and fight against the darkness?"

The second he was addressed by his full first name, Max realized what was happening: it was an impromptu knighting ceremony. He was becoming a full-fledged knight! It wasn't quite how he had imagined it, but either way Max tried to keep a straight face as the king spoke. Once Mickey was finished, the boy answered sincerely, "I do swear."

"Then by the power vested in me, I hereby knight thee, Sir Maximilian," Mickey announced, lowering the Keyblade so it touched one shoulder, then the other.

A surge of pride swelled in Max's heart as he stood up. "Thank you. I won't let you down, Your Majesty!"

Goofy, practically overcome with emotion, wrapped his arms around his son. "Ohh, c'mere son! I'm so proud of ya!"

"Uh, great. Thanks, Dad," Max replied, once again being embarrassed by the older knight. He could hear P.J. snickering behind him, and while he didn't see it, Roxanne was smiling at him.

"C'mon, get offa him, ya big palooka!" Donald said, tugging Goofy off his son much to the boy's relief. "He's got a job to do, remember?"

Nodding, Mickey called Max to attention once again. "Now then, this will be your first mission: take the Gummi Ship Mark II and search the other worlds for the missing Keyblade Masters. Also be on the lookout for Sho and Mizuki, Sora and Kairi's kids. At this point, they should be in their teens. You may take one person to assist you. Do you accept the mission?"

"I accept!" Max said with a salute. "As for my plus one…" He looked to his right and pointed right at his best friend. "I'd like P.J. to come with me."

This surprised the larger boy. "Me?!"

"Well who else am I gonna ask, dude?" Max asked. "Besides, you're my best friend and you're pretty good with magic. I would've dragged you along, anyway!"

Shrugging, P.J. replied, "Good point. Alright, I'll go with you Max."

"Sounds good to me," King Mickey said in approval. "Very well. I'd suggest starting your search in Traverse Town; at least one of them may have made it there. Boys, get ready for a long trip ahead of you! Roxanne, prepare the ship for launch!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Roxanne said with a quick curtsey before turning to leave the room. The boys followed her out, closing the door behind them, but even that couldn't block out the excited cheers the two friends let out a few seconds later.

Donald shook his head. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Still sniffling a bit, Goofy stared at the closed doors. "I just can't believe it… my little boy's a knight!"

"Those two still have some growing up to do," Mickey admitted. "Maybe this will help them."

…

Roxanne had managed to make it to the hanger before the boys had, and so she had plenty of time to prepare the Mark II. Making her way to the control panel, she fiddled around for a while before something came to her: Max was certainly a skilled pilot, having practiced flying around their home world many times, but what would happen if the ship got damaged? He didn't have the technical knowledge that she had, so as crazy as it sounded, that "plus one" was about to become a "plus two."

Setting the launch sequence to "Auto-Launch," the redheaded mechanic slipped onto the ship and hid in the engine room, armed with her wrench and a remote that would send the signal to begin the sequence. "Those two will never think to look in here," she muttered to herself with a sly smile. Truthfully, she had another reason for stowing away on the ship: Roxanne was determined to find out what Max had tried to tell her before he bailed out, and if she didn't go… it would've been a long time before she would hear it.

…

…

Everything was dark. Sho's head was pounding, and the slightest movement caused him pain. He could faintly hear someone's voice singing.

_What's going on?_ he wondered, weak as he was. _Who is that? Such a beautiful voice…_

Cracking open one eye, Sho saw the source of the lovely song. A girl was kneeling beside him, her hand held over him as she sang softly. Her short, straight blonde hair covered one of her eyes, and the one eye the boy could see was closed.

Sho was in awe of the girl, and he could feel his pain slowly fading away. _Is she… an angel?_ he silently asked himself, completely entranced by her.

Once she had finished her song, her eye opened revealing a deep emerald green. Placing a hand on Sho's shoulder, she told him, "Your wounds are healed. You should find shelter soon." She then stood up and started to leave.

"Wait!" Sho called after her as he tried to sit up, but fatigue hit him and he fell back onto the ground, passing out once again. The mysterious angel didn't stop and left him behind.


	5. Ch 4 - Traverse Town

**Hey guys, thank you so much for checking out this story! Now I have something to ask of you: as you know, Sho and his soon-to-be companions will be traveling to other worlds. However, I'm sadly short on ideas for new worlds (with the exception of Arendelle, which Riku mentioned in chapter 1). If you review this story, please add your suggestions for new worlds, whether it be Disney, Dreamworks (expanding a bit here), or anything you can think of that would work. Please keep in mind that I want this story to stay at a "T" rating, so nothing "R" or "M"-rated; that's the only limit. Thanks, guys! ^^**

**P.S. I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Max, P.J. and Roxanne belong to Disney. Only Sho and (name still omitted) belong to me.**

_Traverse Town_

Sho's eyes fluttered open, and this time he was able to sit up. "Wha…? Where am I?" he wondered, looking around. He didn't recognize his surroundings at all, and there wasn't anybody outside for him to ask, not even that strange girl who had healed him. He was all alone.

His heartbeat speeding up, the boy stood up and instinctively called out. "Hello? Mom? Dad?" Rushing down the street, he tried again. "Sis? Uncle Riku?" Getting desperate, Sho shouted out the names of his friends. "Hope? Vanille? Anybody?!" But no matter whose name he called, no one answered.

Glancing around, Sho took in his surroundings while still searching for anyone he knew. The town itself seemed pretty quaint and calm, and the stars could clearly be seen in the night sky. _C'mon Sho, think! Which world could this be? Dad probably described it to you at some point…_

But before he could think about it any further, he heard a scream come from his right. Sho looked to see a young woman running from several armored Heartless called Soldiers. Before Sho could do anything, one of them launched its claws at the woman, striking her and sending her to the ground. The boy's eyes widened in fear when he noticed that the Soldier was now holding the woman's heart, and within seconds she was consumed by the darkness, becoming a Soldier Heartless.

It was then that they noticed the young Keybearer, and immediately ran toward him. Gulping, Sho muttered, "I've got no choice, I have to fight them!" Lucky for him, Starlight appeared in his hand and he rushed at the Heartless.

Swinging his Keyblade, Sho managed to hit one of the Soldiers but then had to dodge a swipe from another one. Taking that one down, he then slashed at another but the remaining Heartless continued to attack him. "Where's Sis when you need her?" Sho said as he avoided a Soldier's kick, really wishing Mizuki was there to help.

Suddenly, a Soldier was cut clean in half and it disappeared to reveal a fierce young woman wielding a sword. "Behind you!" she warned, and Sho turned just in time to block a kick.

Working together, Sho and the swordswoman defeated all but one Heartless that was approaching them. But before it could get too close, the woman's sword transformed into a rifle and she destroyed the Heartless with one shot between the eyes.

Relieved that he was out of danger for now, Sho recalled his Keyblade before turning to the young woman. She had wavy pink hair and aqua eyes which were now staring at the young Keybearer. "Um, thank y-"

"So you're the reason the Heartless were acting up," the woman interrupted, turning her gun back into a sword as she spoke. "I don't know if you're aware, but that weapon you hold not only destroys them, but draws them to you."

_Uh-oh, what's she doing?_ Sho wondered, nervously and slowly backing up as the woman approached him. His back suddenly hit a wall, and he held up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, wait a minute!" Without saying another word, the woman lashed out and Sho suddenly felt a sharp blow to the head before everything went black.

She managed to slowly lower him to the ground before sheathing her gunblade. She heard footsteps behind her and a voice saying, "Now was that really necessary, Lightning?" The woman known as Lightning glanced back to see a man with short brown hair and a slightly amused smile on his face; Balthier. "You could've at least given the boy fair warning."

"I did what I had to," Lightning answered simply. "Now help me get him back to the shelter."

Shrugging, Balthier replied, "Yes ma'am" before kneeling down to help move Sho.

_Meanwhile…_

"Ahh, solid ground!" P.J. exclaimed with a sigh of relief.

"Sheesh dude, don't be so dramatic," Max said as he exited the Gummi Ship Mark II after his friend.

"Well I wasn't the one flying the ship like a maniac," the larger boy commented.

"Hey, I got us through the meteor shower, didn't I?" Max countered.

"Yeah, with a few barrel rolls too many," P.J. grumbled. Then he noticed that Max was carrying something: a round shield with the symbol of Disney Castle adorning it. "Dude, is that your dad's shield?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," the young knight answered, holding it up. "He made me take it, says it'll be like he's still with me." Rolling his eyes, he continued, "Even after I've gotten my knighthood, he's still treating me like a kid." Despite being Captain of the Guard, Goofy was never a fan of weapons, preferring to use his shield for both offense and defense. As a result, Max only learned how to fight using a shield, much to his chagrin.

"I'd still use it, if it's your only option," P.J. told his friend.

Sighing, Max consented to the young magician's logic. "Fine. But as soon as I find another shield, I'm getting it." And with that, the two set off into town.

…And promptly got lost. "Man! There's nobody around. How are we supposed to find the Masters if we can't even get around this place?" Max asked in frustration.

"Say please?" a male voice suddenly piped up. Startled, Max whipped around and came face-to-face with perhaps the tallest man he had ever seen. He had light blonde hair with a stubble beard and blue eyes, and had a black bandana tied over his forehead. "I'm guessing this is your first time here," he commented with a small smile.

…

"…Oh, he's waking up." Opening his eyes and sitting up with a groan, Sho realized that he was in a bed. He looked toward the source of the voice and saw what looked like Sora. "How are you feeling?" he asked the boy.

Rubbing the sore spot on his head, Sho replied, "Ugh, felt better." He then smiled, happy to see the man before him. "But I'm so relieved… You made it here too, Dad."

"Dad? What are you going on about?" the man asked. "I'm the leading man of this story, Balthier." Then Sho's vision cleared up, and the man known as Balthier appeared in place of Sora.

Surprised, Sho glanced off to the side. "Oops! Sorry, I… thought you were someone else," he apologized sheepishly.

"Apology accepted," Balthier said before speaking to someone in another part of the room. "Something tells me you hit him a bit too hard, Claire."

The pink-haired woman that Sho encountered earlier walked up to them with an annoyed expression. "For the last time, it's Lightning."

The boy's eyes widened at the sight of the woman. "Y-You! You're that crazy lady!"

"Crazy…?" Lightning muttered, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Balthier commented, "Well you did knock him out in your first meeting, so you can't blame him for that."

Sighing, Lightning leaned against the wall by Sho's bed. "I did that so we could get you to safety. As long as you hold a Keyblade, the Heartless will come after you."

"We've got someone on the outside distracting them, but it probably won't work for much longer," Balthier added, his voice smooth and calm despite the circumstances. "I'd suggest getting any questions you have out of the way, while you can."

…

While still facing the tall blonde stranger, Max glanced back at P.J. and spoke softly. "Hey Peej, think we can trust this guy?"

"Well he's the first person we've found around here, so we might as well ask," P.J. whispered to Max before addressing the man. "Excuse us, we're having trouble getting around this place. Would you be willing to help?"

The man flashed a grin. "No problem! Follow me, I'll show you around." Walking ahead of the boys, he glanced back at them. "Oh yeah, why don't you tell me your names? I'm Snow."

"I'm Max, and this is P.J.," the knight replied, jerking his thumb at his friend.

"Nice to meet you two," Snow said. Inside, P.J. was pretty relieved that they already found someone so friendly. "So, you guys lost your world too, huh?"

"Wha-! Whoa no, nothin' like that!" Max quickly answered. "We're looking for someone, that's all."

"Ah, gotcha," the man said as he glanced up at the stars twinkling in the night sky.

"Um… what made you ask that question?" P.J. asked curiously.

…

"Tell me, have you heard of a world called Traverse Town?" Balthier asked the boy.

Nodding, Sho replied, "Yeah, Dad told me about it. Many years ago, he ended up there after… after his…" His voice trailed off as the reality of the situation finally hit him; Destiny Islands had been destroyed, and his family nowhere to be found. "This is it, isn't it? This place… it's Traverse Town."

Lightning looked out the window, gazing at the stars as she spoke. "This world is where the ones who were lucky to survive the destruction of their world end up. Three years ago, I came here with a few others."

"And I've been here… oh about six years, I'd say," the older man added.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Sho had to ask. "So it's possible… my parents, my sister, Uncle Riku… they could be okay, right? They might've ended up here."

"Hard to say," the pink-haired woman said, still not looking Sho in the eye. "You're the only one I found." This made the boy hang his head in disappointment.

…

"So your world disappeared, huh?" Max questioned as he and P.J. continued to follow Snow.

"Yep," he answered with a nod. "Only a few of us made it here, and even now it's been tough. Something's making the Heartless go crazy… crazier than usual, that is."

P.J. thought for a minute. "Do you think it's possible that a Keyblade Master could be here?"

"You think?" Snow replied, suddenly intrigued by the boy's theory. "Why not? With the stars disappearing again, a Master would have to see what's going on."

"That's who we're looking for, actually," Max explained. "The ki- er, the person who sent us here asked us to search for three of the Masters and help them."

Snow suddenly reached out and mussed up Max's hair, much to the young knight's annoyance. "Well, good luck with that. Who knows, maybe there's one right here in town?"

…

"Hold on a moment," Balthier piped up. "That name you just used…"

Cocking an eyebrow, Sho repeated, "Riku?"

"That's the one!" the man confirmed. "Master Riku… he's a good man. I challenged him to a duel once; big mistake, that."

"I thought the leading man never lost?" Lightning commented with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"I believe I said the leading man never _dies,_" Balthier corrected, receiving a scoff from his female companion. Turning back to Sho, he continued, "Anyway… You're related to him?"

"Heh, no," the young Keybearer replied. "He and my parents have been friends since they were kids, so he's like family to me." Sho's mind drifted back to just before the Islands' destruction, when Riku fell into the seemingly-bottomless fissure. "I really hope he's alright…"

The two adults were silent for a bit, looking on as Sho tried not to cry at his loss. Finally, Lightning spoke up. "Your parents… they're Master Sora and Master Kairi, aren't they?" The boy confirmed this with a nod. "You have a lot to live up to, so if you're going to search for them, I'd wipe away the tears and toughen up… soon."

Deep down, that comment irritated Sho and caused his fists to clench. "Have you ever lost anyone important to you?" he asked suddenly, glaring at Lightning. She didn't respond.

…

Just as Max, P.J. and Snow were nearing Traverse Town's Second District, a huge Heartless known as a Large Body appeared along with several Soldiers and Winged Soldiers! "Aw, you gotta be kidding me!" Snow exclaimed as he put up his fists. "You two! Make a run for it, I'll hold them off!"

"With your fists? Are you crazy?!" P.J. exclaimed, already a little freaked out by the Heartless themselves.

Suddenly Snow's fists became coated with icy magic! "Don't you have a Master to find?" he asked with a grin before turning to face the Heartless, managing to land an ice-powered punch on one of the Soldiers.

"C'mon man, let's go!" P.J. shouted as he and a reluctant Max took off running, leaving their guide behind. However, some off the Winged Soldiers took off after them and it wasn't long before more foot Soldiers appeared, cutting off the boys' escape. To top it all off, the Large Body had also followed them and they were surrounded. "Uh-oh, now what?"

"What else? We fight," Max replied, sliding his dad's shield onto his arm. Brimming with confidence, the knight glanced back at his friend. "C'mon Peej, let's do it to it!" P.J. nodded, and their first battle with the Heartless began!

**Author's note: Apologies for not including Lightning, Balthier and Snow in the disclaimer. Call it a pleasant surprise for the readers! ^^ (Needless to say, all three characters belong to Square Enix.)**

**Author's note 2: While Final Fantasy XII isn't my favorite game in the series (not even close), I was somehow fascinated by the charismatic self-proclaimed leading man Balthier, and therefore I couldn't resist putting him in here. Also, not gonna lie but I find his voice kinda sexy… **

**Author's note 3: Before anyone asks, yes Snow is using his Froststrike attack from FFXIII. While in his original appearance he didn't get that ability until he became a L'Cie (long story), this is Kingdom Hearts and he needs SOMETHING that'll do damage to the Heartless.**


End file.
